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  • Politicians filed 736 petitions against 2019 elections

    A total of 736 petitions have so far been filed before the various election tribunals established by politicians aggrieved over the outcome of the last general elections.

    A break down of the number, made public yesterday by the election petitions coordinating office at the Court of Appeal, revealed that four petitions have so far been filed in respect of the presidential election.

    The office, headed by Mrs. Rabi Abdulazeez, also revealed that 43 petitions have so far been filed in relation to the governorship election.

    Court of Appeal’s spokesperson, Sa’adatu Musa Kachalla, who made the information available, revealed that 207 petition have been filed in relation to the Senate election.

    A total of 101 petitions are now pending in relation to the House of Representatives election, while 381 have been filed in respect of the state Houses of Assembly election.

    As regards the presidential election, the first was Filed by Hope Democratic Party(HDP) and Ambrose Owuru, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The petition, marked: CA/PEPC/001/2019 was filed on March 7 this year.

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    The second was filed on March 8 by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. It is marked: CA/PEPC/002/2019.

    The third, marked: CA/PEPC/003/2019 was filed by the Coalition for Change(C4C) and Geff Ojinika, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The core contention of the authors of the third petition is that the election, held on February 23 this year, “was vitiated by substantial non-compliance with mandatory statutory provisions, which irregularity substantially affected the election, such that the 1st respondent (Buhari) was not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election.”

    The fourth petition, marked: CA/PEPC/004/2019, was filed on March 19 this year by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pastor Aminchi Habu, listed as the party’s presidential candidate.

     

  • Tribunal orders substituted service on Ihedioha, PDP

    The Imo State Elections Tribunal has granted the application by the lawyer to the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Okey Amechi, for substituted service on the Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The Chairman of the Panel Justice M.O Adewara, granted the leave to serve the second and third respondents on the wall of their buildings or by delivering same to an agent at the PDP office at No 98 Okigwe Road, Owerri.

    The AA governorship candidate, Uche Nwosu, had petitioned the tribunal to quash the March 9 election which Ihedioha won.

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    Nwosu prayed the tribunal to, among other things, determine and thus declare that Ihedioha did not satisfy the requirements of Section 179(2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), having failed to poll not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the Local Government Areas in Imo State at the governorship election of March 9, 2019.

    “An order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a run-off election between the Petitioners and the second and third respondents into the office of Governor of Imo State forthwith, as prescribed under Section 179 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.

  • Fayemi’s wife, judge declare war against rapists, traffickers in Ekiti

    EKITI State Governor’s wife Erelu Bisi Fayemi has declared total war against men of underworld, who engage in raping and human trafficking.

    Mrs. Fayemi lamented the increasing incidences of sexual and domestic violence against women, saying concerted effort must be geared towards fighting the war.

    She said government was disheartened that in spite of the existing legal framework prohibiting gender-based violence, Ekiti State continues to witness issues of rape, defilement and human trafficking.

    The governor’s wife stressed that non-implementation of the gender-based violence prohibition law, child rights law, equal opportunities law and other legislation put in place by his husband, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, by the immediate past government accounted for the increase of the heinous activities.

    The First Lady spoke in Ado-Ekiti yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting held to combat violence against women in Ekiti.

    “When Fayemi left, some of the laws put in place to safeguard the lives of women and girl-child were not implemented,” she said, adding that this constituted a serious impediment in the fight against the practice.

    “At a stakeholders’ meeting held recently, we agreed that part of the policy thrust should be that steps must be taken on how to take care of the emotional needs of victims before seeking or getting justice through the court of law.

    “Most of the victims used to be emotionally down, because we have all failed them at one time or the other; that is why we must rise up to fight this scourge,” Mrs. Fayemi said.

    She said the three key areas that needed to be examined by stakeholders include the causes of gender-based violence, how to use legal framework to resolve some of the issues revolving around this scourge and how to break the culture of silence among victims.

    Read also: Teenager raped to death in Enugu

    “The third one is how to focus on inter-agency collaboration, because this is not a problem that can be solved by a body,” the governor’s wife said.

    An Appeal Court’s judge, Justice Uzor Ndukwe- Anyanwu, expressed worries over the rate of violence against women in Ekiti.

    She added that this issue has always been an issue of interest to Nigerian All Female Judges Association, particularly how to resolve the problem and make women safe wherever they go.

    “Ekiti has this as a big problem. I am worried that we have it in this proportion. It is not something cultural as people want us to believe,” she said.

    Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Wale Fapohunda said the government is ready to go against all odds to prevent the state from being tagged a thriving land for violence against women and girl-child.

    “Reported cases of sexual rape, violence rape, and child defilement have now reached a frequency that we firmly must believe there is an urgent need for joint action between government and other stakeholders to reverse the scourge.

    “We are committed to zero-tolerance for all forms of violence against women and children. Apart from legal interventions, we also take another step that photographs of convicted offenders should be placed on state’s website and announced on state broadcasting service.

    “Also in cases of defilement, we insist on compulsory psychiatric tests for all persons designated as having cases to answer in form of violence against women.”

    Also speaking, Police Commissioner, Ekiti Command, Mr. Asuquo Amba, said any person defiled must pass through medical examination for the police to have proof to prefer charges against offenders.

     

     

  • Dickson takes campaign against degradation to IOCs, regulatory bodies

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has urged international oil companies and regulatory bodies in the oil industry to embrace the campaigns against environmental degradation in the Niger Delta

    The governor said the oil firms should prioritise the imperative of meeting international best practice in carrying out their operations in the Niger Delta. Dickosn, who spoke at the ongoing two-day Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair in Yenagoa, lamented the level of environmental degradation and the attendant challenges facing oil producing areas in the country.

    His media aide, Fidelis Soriwei, said Dickson stressed the need for stakeholders to take the environment and economic inclusion seriously to ensure sustainable peace and stability.

    According to him, demand for environmental justice and preservation should be the concern of not only the Bayelsa and South South people, but the entire country because the environment was the common heritage of everybody.

    Read also: Dickson to Army: fish out killers of Govt House photographer

    He said: “I will continue to raise those issues and concerns that are germane to our people, especially as it concerns the environment. Just last week, I inaugurated a fact-finding Commission of Enquiry on our environment.

    “The concern of Bayelsa on the environment should be the concern for all of us because the environment is the collective heritage of all mankind. There is no Bayelsa environment and there is no Sokoto environment. Yes, we may feel it more today, but with time, it gets to everybody.

    “We need to collaborate more on issues of the environment. On our part as a state government, we assure you that we will continue to discharge our duties and obligations, working together with security agencies and community leaders to promote and maintain a conducive operating environment.”

    Dickson, however, thanked the Federal Government, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and other partners for building a state-of-the-art headquarters for the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in Yenagoa.

    He also praised the Executive Secretary of the Board, Simbi Wabote, and Management and Staff of MegaStar Construction company, for expediting work on the project.

    The governor reiterated his call on oil companies to relocate their operation headquarters to Bayelsa, which he described as the cradle of oil and gas business in Nigeria, even as he restated his administration’s commitment to continue to provide the enabling environment for investments.

    According to him, the Bayelsa International Cargo/Passenger Airport and other investments in education, health and tourism were purposefully made to attract investors.

    Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu identified the celebration of mediocrity as reason why the country has not made appreciable progress in the oil and gas industry.

    According to him, the country should be producing four million barrels of crude oil and not the current two million barrels. He called on the participants to see the conference as a time for a sober reflection on why the industry was still underdeveloped and dominated by expatriates, and take bold steps in exploring opportunities in the sector.

     

     

  • Newspaper vendor hangs self

    A 42-year-old newspaper vendor, identified as Amaechi, was yesterday found dead.

    He hanged himself in his room.

    Although not much could be ascertained about the deceased’s personality, The Nation gathered that Amaechi,  described as a rather withdrawn person, as he hardly interacted with his neighbours, was last seen on Monday.

    One of his co-tenants said he was an indigene of Kwale in Delta State,

    He said: “We saw him last on Monday when he was leaving the house. Nobody knew when he returned. We never knew he had hanged himself in his room. It was this morning, when we smelled a pungent odour, that we suspected foul play.”

    Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said Amaechi hardly interacted with people.

    Police spokesman Chris Orisewezie said he was informed of the incident, but the information was sketchy.

    He said investigation into the incident would be made later.

     

  • Ecobank takes e-payment to Ariaria market

    The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan has assured businesses in Ariaria Market, Aba of better ease in receiving their payments.

    The Ecobank Managing Director who launched the Ecobankpay zone at the market said it will facilitate easy, secure and convenient transactions for merchants within Ariaria and other surrounding markets.

    The EcobankPay Zone is a digital payment hub enabling businesses within a location adopt Ecobank’s wide range of digital products for ease of payments for goods and services.

    “It is our determination to create ease of payment and boost economic activities most especially in a town like Aba, renowned for indigenous production of shoes and textiles. Our digital offering will be an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to increase their sales in an enhanced and secured way and without fear. The EcobankPay digital hub makes it easy for the seller to be paid instantly and buyers pay with ease and also have rest of mind associated with doing business without carrying cash around. Our Xpress point is also around for you to transact with ease, in as much as you have your phone you can bank with Ecobank”.

    “The initiative of the Ecobankpay zone is to deepen financial inclusion in the communities and specifically aid business transactions between merchants and clients. EcobankPay’s unique offering is that anyone from any bank in Nigeria can pay with MasterPass, mVISA and mCASH with any phone by scanning QR code or using USSD”. “if the person that wishes to buy goods from you is coming from a bank that has mVisa and wishes to pay, the same QRcode would accept an mVisa payment and vice versa. That creates synergy between us and the other banks and convenience for the merchants. And as you know, the QRcode is much cheaper than having a point of sale (PoS)”.

     

  • Buhari keeping promises, says presidency

    Despite his campaigns to all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) before the February 23  Presidential election,  President Muhammadu Buhari has said that  governance did  not suffer .

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, listed the achievements and actions of the government during the campaign and election periods.

    He highlighted the areas touched by the President during the period.

    On minimum wage, he said that the President on January 9, 2019, inaugurated the Presidential Technical Advisory Committee on the Implementation of the National Minimum Wage (PTAC), with a mandate to advise the Federal Government on how best to fund, in a sustained manner, the additional costs of implementing the imminent increase in the National Minimum Wage.

    According to him, the Committee, chaired by Mr. Bismarck Rewane, submitted its report on Monday, March 25, 2019.

    Also in January 2019, he said, President Buhari submitted a National Minimum Wage Amendment Bill to the National Assembly for passage, following the approval of the National Council of State. The Bill is now awaiting presidential assent.

    On financing government, he said that the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiatives (SRGI) programme of the Federal Government was launched on January 23, 2019  by Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, in Abuja.

    SRGI, he said, is built on three (3) main planks including achieve sustainability in revenue generation, identify new and enhance the enforcement of existing revenue streams and achieve cohesion in the revenue ecosystem (people and tools).

    The Steering Committee of the SRGI, with membership drawn from all the major revenue-generating agencies, Adesina said, held its inaugural meeting on February 12, 2019.

    On financing infrastructure, he said that President Buhari signed the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, Executive Order 007 of 2019 on January 25, 2019.

    Through this Scheme, he said, companies that are willing and able to spend their own funds on constructing roads to their factories or farms, will recover their construction costs by paying reduced taxes, over a period of time.

    In the first phase, he said,19 Eligible Road Projects are to be undertaken by 6 leading manufacturing and construction firms, in 11 States, and in each of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, as follows:

    “The Companies: Dangote Industries Limited; Lafarge Africa Plc; Unilever Nigeria Plc; Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc; Nigeria LNG Limited; and China Road and Bridge Corporation Nigeria Limited.

    “The Roads: a) Construction of Ashaka-Bajoga Highway in Gombe State; b) Reconstruction of Dikwa-Gambaru-Ngala Road in Borno State; c) Reconstruction of Bama-Banki Road in Borno State; d) Rehabilitation of Sharada Road in Kano State; e) Rehabilitation of Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway / Bypass, in Kaduna State; f) Reconstruction of Birnin Gwari Expressway – Road in Kaduna State; g) Reconstruction of Birnin Gwari – Dansadau Road in Kaduna State;

    Other roads include “h) Reconstruction of Makurdi-Yandev-Gboko Road in Benue State; i) Reconstruction of Zone Roundabout-House of Assembly Road in Benue State; j) Reconstruction of Obajana-Kabba Road in Kogi State; k) Reconstruction of Ekuku-Idoma-Obehira Road in Kogi State; l) Construction of Adavi-Eba-Ikuehi-Obeiba-Obokore Road in Kogi State; m) Rehabilitation of Lokoja-Ganaja Road in Kogi State; n) Ofeme Community Road Network and Bridges in Abia State; o) Rehabilitation of Obele-Ilaro-Papalanto-Shagamu Road in Ogun State; p) Reconstruction of Sokoto Road in Ogun State; q) Reconstruction of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota Road in Lagos State; r) Construction of Bodo-Bonny Road & Bridges across Opobo Channel in Rivers State; and s) Rehabilitation of Benin City – Asaba Road in Edo State.

    On consumer protection, Adesina said that President Buhari assented to the new Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), Nigeria’s first unified and comprehensive Competition legislation on January 30, 2019.

    He said that the new Act establishes the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), to replace the Consumer Protection Council.

    “The goal of the FCCPA is to foster a business environment in which markets are competitive and the rights of consumers are protected.

    “The functions of the FCCPC include the review and approval of mergers and acquisitions, to ensure that they do not have anti-competitive effects in the relevant market.

    On special economic zones, he said President Buhari presided over the signing ceremony for a Partnership between the Nigeria Special Economic Zones Investment Company (NSEZCo) and Strategic Investment Partners on February 8, 2019:

    Read also: NJC advises Buhari to okay Tanko Muhammad for CJN

    The ceremony, he said, also marked the full operationalization of the NSEZCo.

    He also said that the Project MINE – Made In Nigeria For Exports – is the Buhari Administration’s Special Economic Zones programme that seeks to boost manufacturing’s share of GDP to 20%, generating $30bn in annual export earnings; and creating 1.5 million new jobs, all by 2025.

    “A new company, the Nigeria Special Economic Zones Investment Company (NSEZCo) has been incorporated as the delivery vehicle for Project-MINE.

    “NSEZCo is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) jointly owned by Government of Nigeria (Ministry of Finance) and a group of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including the Africa Export Import Bank, Africa Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority.

    “NSEZCo will mobilize public and private sector funding to develop world-class export-oriented industrial zones in Nigeria, offering advanced infrastructure and facilities at competitive costs.

    “The projects in the pilot phase include Enyimba Economic City, Funtua Cotton Cluster and Lekki Model Industrial Park. Infrastructure upgrade work is also ongoing in the brownfield Calabar and Kano Free Trade Zones, for which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the award of contracts in excess of N19.45 billion.

    “NSEZCo will be working with a range of local and international partners – anchor tenants, development advisers and consultants to deliver on this project.” he added

    On healthcare, he said, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the NSIA – LUTH advanced cancer treatment centre located in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos on February 9, 2019.

    Structured under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement between the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA and the LUTH, he said, the project is a US$11 million investment for the rehabilitation, equipping and operation of an existing cancer center co-located in LUTH, which will provide advanced radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment services.

    He said “The PPP is executed as a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT). The NSIA owns the center 100% today and but full ownership is expected to revert to LUTH after 10 years of operations.

    “The upgraded facility will run as a joint venture between NSIA Healthcare Development and Investment Company (“NHDIC”) and LUTH.

    “The centre is the first of three projects with the other two, NSIA-AKTH (Kano) and NSIA-FMCU (Umuahia) Diagnostic Centers, scheduled for commissioning in the first half of 2019.” he stated

    On the ease of doing business, the Presidential Aide said that the government on March 1, 2019, commenced National Action Plan 4.0, which will run from March 1 to April 29, 2019.

    “This was accompanied by the launch, on March 15, 2019, of the reportgov.ngWebsite and App to enable the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) / Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) obtain feedback from citizens.

    “PEBEC/EBES have also launched, in addition to ongoing stakeholder engagements across the public sector and organised private sector, the Business Made Easycampaign to communicate the reforms

    “NAP 4.0 will run from the 1st of March to the 29th of April, 2019. It aims to deepen the reforms delivered over the past 3 years and drive institutionalization.”

    According to him, NAP 4.0 will focus on initiatives such as: enforcing compliance with SLAs across all indicators/focus areas,

    driving the passage of the CAM Bill 2018 for improved, effectiveness of company law in Nigeria, enhancing efficiency in the small claims court, and

    enhancing the application and approval system for visas on arrival.

    Over 140 reforms, he noted, have been implemented in the past 3 years to make doing business in Nigeria easier.

    The reforms, he said, included: “Online reservation of a business name within 4 hours, Registration of a new company with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) within 24 hours, Automatic generation of Tax Identification Number (TIN) after completion of registration, Creation of National Collateral Registry (NCR) to support the use of movable assets (SMEs can now use movable assets as collateral for loans such as motor vehicles, machinery, inventory, even jewelry).”

    Others are “Passage of the Credit Bureau Act 2017, Small Claims Courts established in Lagos and Kano for cost-effective and fast resolution of debt recovery disputes involving small claims of up to N5,000,000, Filing and payment of federal taxes online available; E-platform accessible to all classes of taxpayers, Removal of the Infrastructure Development Charge (IDC) for 2-floor warehouse construction permits applications in Lagos State, Implementation of 24/7 operations in Apapa Port, Simplified visa-on-arrival process; application done online and issued within 48hrs.”

    Adesina disclosed some reforms that will be delivered in 2019 to include “The new Company and Allied Matters (CAM) Bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the existing CAM Act

    “Establishment of a National Trading Platform for Nigeria’s Ports: a unified digital platform through which all imports and exports happen.” he said

    On micro-pension, Adesina said President Buhari launched a new Pension Scheme that allows the self-employed and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation on March 28, 2019.

    “It is a voluntary, self-saving scheme available only to those not currently participating in the existing mandatory Contributory Pension Scheme.

    “To formally flag off commencement of the Scheme, President Buhari supervised the registration of Sagir Shawai, a Motor Tricycle operator in the FCT, and presented his enrolment certificate to him.” he said

    On infrastructure, Adesina said that for the first time in Nigeria’s recent history, election season did not halt or negatively affect on-going Federal Government construction projects across the country.

    The various projects (Road, Rail and Power) currently proceeding on schedule, he said, included: “Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Project (160km)

    Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (375km)

    Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway

    Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Road (220km)

    Lagos-Sagamu-Ibadan Expressway (130km)

    Others are “Kano-Maiduguri Highway Second Niger Bridge (11.9km)

    Afam Fast Power Plant (240MW)

    Zungeru Power Plant (700MW)

    Bodo-Bonny Bridges and Road (38km).”

    He said that Energizing Economies and Energizing Education programmes is taking clean and sustainable electricity to markets and University campuses across the country.

    In February 2019, he said that Nigeria formally launched its first ever on-grid solar power project, in Torankawa community in Yabo LGA of Sokoto State.

    “The solar plant provides uninterrupted electricity supply to 350 households in the community. For about five years before the completion of this project the community was cut off from the grid.”

    On the citizens’ portal, he said that the Buhari Administration has also launched a Citizen’s Portal on Infrastructure, to showcase the Government’s investments in infrastructure across the country.

    On the economic indices, he said “The National Bureau of Statistics released figures for Q4 2018 economic growth: 2.38 percent; and for the Full Year 2018: 1.93 percent – more than double the Full Year 2017 growth rate of 0.82 percent.

    “This growth in Q4 2018, as well as for the Full Year, owed a great deal to the performance of the non-oil sector. The non-oil sector grew at 2.7% in Q4 2018 versus 1.14% in the oil sector.

    “The non-oil sector recorded its strongest growth since the Q4 2015. (The non-oil sector also grew by 2% in Full Year 2018, considerably better than its 0.47% growth in the whole of 2017).

    The services sector, which accounts for 53.62% of GDP, registered its strongest growth performance in 11 quarters.

    39 out of 46 economic activities recorded growth

    “There has been a sustained accretion to External Reserves from $23.81 billion in September 2016 to $44 billion as of end-March, 2019.

    “Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in the month of March 2019 stood at 57.4 index points, indicating expansion in the manufacturing sector for the 24th consecutive month.

    “Inflation Rate has been trending downwards from 18.55% as at December 2016 to 15.37% in December 2017, 11.44% in December 2018 (below the ERGP target of 12.42% for 2018) and further to 11.31% in February 2019.

    “Total FX Turnover at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) from launch in April 2017 to March 2019 = US$105.9 billion.” he added

     

     

  • uac gets GMD/ceo

    The Board of Directors of UAC of Nigeria PLC (UAC) has announced the appointment of Mr Folasope Babasola Aiyesimoju as the Company’s Group Managing Director/CEO with effect from today.

    The Board thanked Acting GMD/CEO Mrs Omolara Elemide for her hard work and dedication to the company since January.

    Aiyesimoju is a finance professional with experience spanning corporate finance, principal investing and private equity.

    He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Estate Management from the University of Lagos, where he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in real estate development and finance, and earned the right to use the CFA designation in 2006.

    He founded Themis Capital Management and co-founded Foodpro Limited.

     

  • Poly Ibadan suspends student union, shuts institution

    The management of The Polytechnic Ibadan yesterday suspend activities of institution’s Student Union Government.

    The institution’s management also directed all students to proceed on mid-semester break with immediate effect.

    Announcing the management’s decision, the institution’s spokesperson, Mr. Adewole Soladoye, said the suspension became necessary as the student union body had failed to obey and follow the rules guiding its activities on campus.

    According to him, the management directed the immediate suspension because of the ongoing football competition, which had been disturbing the peace of the institution ahead of next week’s examination.

    He urged the students to stay committed to their examination, which begins shortly.

    Read also: Poly Ibadan: Workers defy resumption order, shut gates

    He added that the management would not hesitate to punish anyone, who flouts the rules guiding the institution.

    In a statement yesterday and signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mrs. Modupe Fawale, the management said the police have been invited to ensure smooth vacation of the students from the campus to prevent breach of peace.

    The statement directed the students to report back for studies on April 10, 2019, urging parents and guardians to requests their children to return home.

     

  • Akeredolu’s wife seeks inclusion of women in policy-making

    ONDO State governor’s wife Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has argued the need for inclusion of women in policy-making for a better nation.

    Anyanwu-Akeredolu spoke yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting on the 63rd Session of United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW 63) in Akure.

    UNCSW 63, the largest  UN’s gathering on gender equality, took place at the UN headquarters in New York between March 11 to  22, 2019, with the theme: “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and empowerment of women and girls”.

    She said any society aiming for progress, recognition and relevance among comity of nations must carry its womenfolk along with equal treatment with their male counterparts.

    “Exclusion of women in policy-making is a waste of human resources because this world is shared 50/50.

    “You don’t neglect integral part of your population and expect success and progress.

    “Therefore, our men should stop behaving that they are only one with sense and knowledge,” she cautioned.

    Read also: Why we need Security overhaul in Ondo, says Akeredolu

    Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu said women should use their voting strength to put more women in the legislative houses and positions of authority, urging stakeholders to allow reasonable and encouraging representation of women.

    She reiterated her stance that any government that was serious about lifting its women from obscurity, ignorance and poverty must endeavour to provide opportunities for empowerment and equip them with the requisite knowledge.

    According to her, there should be concerted efforts to encourage women and get them engaged in productive ventures and skills acquisition relevant to their immediate environment so that they would not rely on men for survival.

    “FOWOSO is paving way in Ondo State and the impact is evidenced-based with tremendous successful outcomes.

    “We have empowered over 2000 women and youth and free medical services at all FOWOSO empowerment outreaches together with breast cancer awareness to over 20,000 people in the local government areas and we appreciate the state government for being a dependable ally and for its supportive roles,” she stated.

    Mrs. Akeredolu enjoined participation of girls in ICT in becoming information technological leaders.

    The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ibiyinka Ogunlade, applauded Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu for being a good representative in the UN session for womenfolk.

    Ogunlade said the forum would come up with decisions and moves that would gear up women advancement.